Shourya's Favourite Things about Astrophysics at UCL

UCL Physics & Astronomy Digital Student Ambassador Shourya writes about the BSc Astrophysics, including exciting internship opportunities on offer & insight into being an international student.

As the night sky stretches above the bustling skyline of London, a dedicated, rather nerdy community of astrophysicists, just a few minutes away from the city lights, delves deep into the skies trying to get closer to unlocking celestial mysteries. It’s here, the astrophysics programme at UCL thrives, offering students like me the opportunity to bridge the gap between urban cityscapes and the exploration of the universe.

At what I believe is the forefront of astronomy education in the UK, UCL offers what I feel to be one of the most comprehensive and well-rounded astrophysics programmes across the world. As a seasoned third year astrophysicist (almost seasoned… more like medium-rare) at UCL, I think I'm well placed to talk about the various opportunities provided by this degree.

UCL Observatory

My single most favourite feature of this programme, would be the UCL Observatory at Mill Hill. All astrophysics students get the opportunity to work at UCLO on multiple modules throughout their degree. From learning how to manoeuvre and control a telescope built in the 1860s in first year, to remotely operating some of the world’s best telescopes in Chile and Spain in third year, I have a book full of anecdotes about UCLO that I eagerly share in conversations.

Over my three years, I've been involved in diverse projects, including the analysis of binary star systems, the imaging and processing of nebulae and galaxies, the measurement of star and supernova magnitudes, and the design of a baffle for the Perren telescope, the UK's premier spectroscopic telescope housed at UCLO.

Diverse Range of Modules

Furthermore, the programme also offers an extremely diverse and unique range of modules. Over my years, I have studied interstellar physics, cosmology, physics of stars, spectroscopy, planetary sciences, practical astronomy and many more modules that have given the curious stargazer inside me a profound satisfaction and fulfilment. The course also extends beyond traditional boundaries by allowing students to explore interdisciplinary subjects like astrobiology and scientific journalism. Quite a welcome deviation from the math-abundant modules that line the course, these options allowed me to diversify my academic repertoire and explore more interdisciplinary sciences.

Internship Opportunities

The department provides exceptional opportunities for paid internships during the summer months. These internships cover a diverse range of topics, including exoplanet studies, neutrino studies, and data analysis from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). One internship from third year that I am particularly hoping to get accepted in involves data reduction from the high-resolution spectroscopic instruments at UCLO.

Another standout feature of studying physics at UCL is the distinguished faculty. For instance, Dr. Fossey, one of our professors, led a team of undergraduates in the discovery of a supernova in 2014, which forms the basis of one of our first year projects. Many professors boast extensive involvement in groundbreaking projects at institutions like CERN, ESA and NASA, contributing to historic missions such as the Mars rover, the Cassini mission, and the upcoming JUICE mission. One of our course-works I’ve enjoyed extremely involves using Machine Learning to detect Higgs Boson decay from sophisticated LHC data.

A Community of Physicists and Astronomers

UCL also fosters a vibrant community of astrophiles, supported by the UCL Space Society and Physics society. These communities remain active throughout the year, organizing numerous socials and events that enhance student life, foster connections within the physics community, and enrich the overall academic experience. Engaging in a wider range of societies and clubs has also ensured I found my group of people to share university life with, and not feel alone or lost in what seemed to be a foreign land at first. In fact, my experience with societies led me to nominate myself and eventually serve as the President of the Space Society, and later as Chief Editor for the UCL Science Magazine.

As an international student who moved halfway across the world to pursue his dream of studying space, I often begin to think whether my pursuits and effort have been worthwhile and justified, but reminding myself I am a learning astrophysicist at an institution like UCL serves as a comforting assurance of my endeavours. As I continue to chart my course among the stars, I do so with a sense of wonder, curiosity, and gratitude for the incredible journey that has brought me to where I am today. And with each passing year of course, I am reminded that the universe is vast, mysterious, and endlessly fascinating – and as much as I hate sounding this dramatic - I wouldn't have it any other way.

Author: Shourya Shrivastava
Photo Credit: UCL Media Services